Saturday, February 7, 2009

The Great Compromise

Now, here's my commentary on the stuff they compromised on in the stimulus bill.

(Got this one from CNN too).

Also, I was bored and lazy, so I didn't do a lot of writing. So piss off, I'm the Queen.

Partially cut:

• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)

At least they kept half of this one. It really is a needed stimulus.

• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)

Again, at least they kept half of this one. It's not much of a stimulating thing, but it is needed.

• $200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)

The EPA always needs cash for its superfund. I just don't know what it'll do.

• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)

I wonder what NOAA will do with this money?

• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)

Wireless? So they have wireless capabilities? What? Explain what they will do with these things please.

• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)

This is good, at least they kept half of it. Not nearly enough to stimulate the hybrid vehicle market, but still a good thing.

• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)

Construction, ey? I thought the other things was FBI salaries. Also, I thought all of the FBI buildings were already built. But, I guess, if you need to renovate, by all means do so.

Fully eliminated

• $55 million for historic preservation

This could create jobs (not for unemployed Americans) but for preservationists. I always think it's good to preserve things, but this needed to be put into another bill.

• $122 million for new Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters

Alright, I figured this one would go. Needs to be put into another bill.

• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization

I want to know how far back these people are before I say that this could have stayed.

• $50 million for CSERES research

Cut it, but what was it for? What the hell does the acronym stand for?

• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation

They don't like environmental protection, both Democrats and Republicans I see.

• $30 million for SD salaries

SD, SD, SD, what does it stand for? I'm too tired to think. I thought salaries were a good thing. Pay people money so they can spend it on stuff.

• $100 million for distance learning

Hmmm... Well I don't think this should be in this bill.

• $98 million for school nutrition

Education bills is where this junk belongs.

• $50 million for aquaculture

Aquaculture? Great word. But I thought if we protected the oceans, they would do our aquaculture for us.

• $2 billion for broadband

Well, cut it. Yeah, we can do this one later.

• $100 million for NIST

I didn't know NIST needed it...

• $50 million for detention trustee

Again, I didn't know these people needed it. A lot of this stuff really need their own bills, and to be put into other bills that they would fit better in.

• $25 million for Marshalls Construction

Lawl, this one could indeed be cut.

• $300 million for federal prisons

Our prisons are already one of the most comfortable systems of detention centers in the world. I really do think rehabilitation is bullshit, and we need more medieval dungeon in our prisons. I bet that would rehab people real quick.

• $300 million for BYRNE Formula

Cut. Anther bill, another time.

• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive

Cut. Another bill at another time.

• $10 million state and local law enforcement

Too damn little already. Put it in another bill some other time.

• $50 million for NASA

NASA needs to focus back on our oceans. We know more about space than our own ocean.

• $50 million for aeronautics

What? These are for other bills.

• $50 million for exploration

Yeah, really. Cut if for another time.

• $50 million for Cross Agency Support

Eh, another bill, indeed.

• $200 million for National Science Foundation

Not stimulating, all these things need to be in other bills.

• $100 million for science

Science is good, but these need to be in education stimulating bills.

• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees

Eh. I was indifferent this one.

• $4.5 billion for GSA

I'm becoming a broken record. Other bills.

• $89 million GSA operations

And I repeat myself.

• $50 million from DHS

This one is actually needed. the DHS is rather underfunded in my opinion. But yeah, I repeat myself.

• $200 million TSA

Kill them, security theatre isn't my cup of tea. I prefer real security.

• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use

This should be in another bill with the Ice Breaker money.

• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife

Is it job creating? If it's not, it needs to be here.

• $55 million for historic preservation

I copied and pasted this from CNN, they fail at proofreading.

• $20 million for working capital fund

Bahhhh... Die.

• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement

Other bills.

• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management

No.

• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start

Education bills, not stimulus bills.

• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity

Health bills, bahhh...

• $2 billion for HIT Grants

Good.

• $600 million for Title I (NCLB)

Bah....

• $16 billion for school construction

Education bills, but yes, this can stimulate the construction business. But put it in the education bill...

• $3.5 billion for higher education construction

As I said above.

• $1.25 billion for project based rental

Beh...

• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization

Useful, but other bills.

• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing

Stimulate the construction industry. But yeah, it could have been here or in another bill.

• $40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)

These things definitely need to be put in other bills.

So yeah, they did an alright job getting rid of this stuff out of the stimulus bill. They kept half of of some of the good stuff, and got rid of that that needed to be in other bills.

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